Phoenix Style Collective Founding Fathers

Blogger friend Kristianne and I

Blogger friends Brittany & Elle

This past Saturday I attended the second annual Arizona Blogger Conference hosted by the stylish folks of the Phoenix Style Collective. This year’s conference was a more intimate one, held at uber modern Hotel Palomar in Downtown Phoenix. Fashionistas from across the desert mingled while they nibbled and noshed on yummy treats, participated in a Le Mode scavenger hunt, and made funny faces at the Mr. FunBooth photo booth. The night then continued on with the main event, listening to words of wisdom from veteran bloggers and editors like Sara Matlin of Francessmeeks.com, Summer Bellessa of The Girls with Glasses Show, Sarah Hubbell of Emma Magazine, Jessie Arigue of Style & Pepper, and my personal favorite Danielle Hampton of Sometimes Sweet.

Danielle of Sometimes Sweet and her beau

While I enjoyed all the speakers and thought that they were all very qualified to talk to the future of Arizona bloggers, today I thought I would share with you what I took away from Danielle’s presentation. Her speech on finding your voice was something that really resonated with me, especially in a time where I am extremely unsure of myself and this blog (hashtag pregnantgirlprobs, hashtag sensativesally).

She first began by stating some of the challenges we might face as bloggers on the road to finding our own voice then proceeded to give us advice on how to combat those challenges. First on the docket: comparing yourself to other blogs and/or other bloggers. This is a major issue for me, one that I’m ashamed to admit happens on a weekly basis, but Danielle put it simply by saying that it’s good to play the comparison game but if you want to find your voice you are going to have to leave that and be you! Amen to that, sister.  The second challenge that she brought to our attention during her presentation was to not be a people pleaser. Such an obvious sentiment but one that I don’t think I realize I try to do constantly. Danielle said it best when she said, “If you try to please everyone you’re never going to succeed.” Simply put: you can’t please everyone. Someone is always going to have their opinion and that’s okay. Are you taking notes? Yes? Ok, let’s proceed. This next point is one that really hit close to home for me: not realizing that you have something to share. Because blogging is such a saturated world I always feel like I’m not bringing enough to the table here on Fabulously Average. Why come here when you might find something better out there in the blogosphere? I felt like Danielle was speaking right at me when she said that we all have an individual story to tell. There is value in every single one of my stories, someone out there is listening and isn’t that why y’all keep coming back (Thanks for that by the way!)? She drove it all home when she said, “The more you believe in yourself the more people will see that on your blog.” Truer words have never been spoken. So obvious, yet so foreign to me. I need to quite being a negative Nancy and start believing in this blog and what I bring to it (imagine dramatic fist pump here)!

Sorry for what seems like my gushy love letter to Danielle of Sometimes Sweet but I seriously think I found myself a new blogger crush. She seemed so real and down to Earth, someone I would love to get to know! Her presentation was one I kept mulling over on the ride back home and the reason why I feel rejuvenated to be a better blogger. Let’s just say she has definitely found a new and loyal reader in me.

*all images via Mr.FunBooth because I was a lazy bum and didn’t take many pictures:)

——

To read my recap on last year’s Arizona Blogger Conference, click here.

——

Can’t get enough of FabAve? Let’s get social:Twitter, Facebook, Bloglovin’ and Pinterest!